Volume 2 - Issue 1

Pages: 1-8

The counseling process could be divided into two, which are the theoretical process and the public process. Through the theoretical process, the counseling process is carried out based on particular theories. As for counseling figures like Ivey, Patterson, Carkhuff, Brammer and Egan, they perceived counseling as a process that happens outside the theoretical frame. This article aims to analyze the counseling process and its application amongst Malaysian counseling practitioners. To achieve this objective, five practicing counselors were chosen using purposive sampling as participants for this research. Data collected through the methods of structured interviews using interview protocol which is thematically analysed by the NVivo 2 software. Results of the analysis indicated that most counselors understood the counseling process based on the theories that they were using. Most of the participants used Person Centered theory as their guide. Besides, they followed several stages and levels in the counselling process with the awareness of the vital elements which need to be considered in each process.

Pages: 9-20

This study investigates the English language needs for a group of engineering students at a defence university in Malaysia as part of curriculum review for English Language subjects. In a curriculum review, students‘ perceived English Language needs are collected and taken into consideration towards any curriculum revision. The objective of this study is to investigate the perceived English Language needs for a group of Engineering Foundation students at the National Defence University of Malaysia (NDUM) to be used as a guideline as one of the attempt to revise the curriculum. A total number of 169 Engineering students from the Centre for Foundation Studies, NDUM participated in this study and using a set of questionnaire, their perceived English Language needs are examined. Data collected from the questionnaire are analysed using SPSS version 19.0. The findings suggest important implications for evaluating and redesigning the English Language curriculum for engineering students at the NDUM.

Pages: 21-33

This study examines the perceptions of Pakistani immigrant parents regarding the referral of their children to special education programs in Toronto. The study is qualitative and is based on the grounded theory method. The interviews with five parent participants provide insight into the perceptions of Pakistani immigrant parents whose children (8-12 years) are in special needs classes. The findings of the study found three main factors contributing to the referral of Pakistani immigrant children for special education: 1) Parents‘ denial: 2) Cultural and linguistic differences: and 3) Immigration. The results indicate that there is an over-referral of Pakistani immigrant children [in Toronto schools] according to Pakistani parents‘ perceptions. Recommendations are made for implementing change within the special education system in the TDSB and areas for future research are identified.

Pages: 34-41

In Nigeria, retirement is usually a period of major changes in the lives of public servants. For some people such changes are devastating and traumatic. In this study, public servants‘ perception of retirement and their attitude towards pre-retirement counseling was surveyed. A representative sample of 1200 civil servants was selected using purposive sampling approach. Responses were elicited from them using a self-structured questionnaire to test one major proposition that guided the study. Data analysis were carried out using one-way ANOVA and tested at 0.05 alpha levels. Results of the study showed that civil servants‘ perception of retirement significantly influence their attitude towards pre-retirement counselling with respect to income and expenditure management, health related issues, management of loneliness and change in physical environment. It was recommended among other things that pre—retirement seminars and workshops should be organized for civil servants on a regular basis to prepare them for life at retirement.

Pages: 42-52

This research investigated Mathematics teachers‘ perspectives on childhood student creativity. A group of (31) mathematics teachers completed a Childhood Mathematical Creativity Scale on (4) of their students. Total of (111) students were rated. (20) of them were observed by the researcher to complete the same scale for each child. This study seeks to answer the following questions: Is there a significant difference at the level (0.05 ≥ α) in early childhood teacher perspectives of student mathematical creativity with respect to school type, sex and grade level? Is there agreement ration between the teacher mathematical creativity scale rating and the observable rating on the same scale for the same child? Results indicate that mathematical creativity is not a common aspect for childhood students on Jordan. Kindergarten teachers rated their student the highest on creativity while third grade were rated the lowest. Also the ratio of agreement was moderate.